THATS THE SPOT

This short video was recorded last Fall (21). A large tree had come down during the year and bridged the river. I knew during the spawning season in the Fall, bears would use this tree as a bridge. So I set a camera up to record the activity.
I called this Sow “Lady” and her cub “Scamp”.
Lady wanted to scratch her back, but notice that she stopped and looked back to make sure no male bears were following her!
A male will try to kill her cub, so she was being careful.

ON PATROL

SHY BRUIN

SEARCHING

“HAVE YOU SEEN ANY SALMON”?

Many times they will wade into the stream. Like a dog flushing a Grouse,they hope to spook a salmon!

POSING PRETTY

ON ALERT!

If they hear water splashing,they stop to see If It’s a salmon?

SEARCHING

Bears will walk along the river bank looking for dead salmon. They are much easier to catch than the live ones. They have favorite spots they like to check for dead salmon.

ANNETTE CUB

I promised Annette that the first cub I saw this year I would name after her. So her you are Annette. I wanted to get closer but there was 200 meters of mudflats between the bears and me.

The cub was trying to overturn a large rock to get at tasty crabs!

A TELL TALE FACE

This male bear was sporting battle scars. This must of happened last year? Once wounded the hair will not grow making the scars more evident.

When bears fight they always go for the eyes. He was lucky! Maybe the other guy was worse?

FIRST BOO BOO OF THE YEAR!

I found this female at the south end of Fortune Channel! I had gone past this spot not 10 minutes before but she wasn’t there then? She seemed apprehensive of me,so I didn’t push my luck! Maybe she had just woke up and hadn’t had her coffee yet?

WHAT YOU LOOKIN AT?

I paddled upstream today looking for bears. I found one almost immediately! It was walking upstream on the left and so I paddled upstream on the right. We had rain last night so the stream was flowing faster than normal. We kept pace with each other but when I took out the camera to take this shot I quickly headed back downstream.

The vast majority of salmon a bear will eat are dead. The salmon spawn,die and float downstream. Bears are part of the clean up crew. They walk along the streams edge looking for dead salmon. If you don’t have to work for your dinner why bother?

This bear came across two salmon! It grabbed the first one and promptly dropped it. It than found a second one and walked off into the forest to enjoy but I was surprised to see It come back out 15 seconds later! When I see a bear being “fussy” that means It’s tummy is full! I bet the only fish it would keep would be a fresh squirming one!

I saw three bears on this trip but I still think there should be more! I saw 4 large dead salmon laying very close to the streams bank. Seeing those fresh salmon told me no bears have been around! If just one bear had walked by It would of grabbed one.

This bear was full, most likely because very few bears are around leaving plenty of salmon to eat! Enough salmon that It can afford to be fussy!

I’M CONCERNED!

I camped out at my favorite river so as to get shots of the bears grabbing salmon! Lots of salmon in the river but zero bears? I was there for three days and saw no bears!

I talked to a friend of mine who has the unusual job of swimming down many streams around Tofino. He and his wife count salmon to get a idea on how healthy the run is. He told me that in 17 swims over the last month he and his wife saw only one bear!

No hunter or hunters could possibly wipe out that many bears all over the place. Maybe in one stream but still that’s stretching it! I haven’t a clue as to what’s going on? I’m hoping he and I are both wrong and the bears will show up on mass soon!

WET AND WILD

This yearling was swimming when I came upon it. It climbed out of the water,shook vigorously like a dog and stared at me.

Bears are very good swimmers. They swim from island to island foraging. Actually just about every animal out there is a great swimmer and island hops as well.

When Bears get mange,they often times go into the ocean. The salt helps kill the parasites.

BIG BART

I found two bears tonight. I recognized this bear as one I’ve called “Big Bart”. He’s been around for a few years. He’s shy but tolerates me.

Because of there being no Bear Watching boats zipping around, the bears appear to be more skittish.

I think they get accustomed to boats being around when the bear watching boats are out. Because of this virus the boats haven’t been out this year,so the bears have gotten use to silence making it more difficult for me to get close. Fortunately many of them already know me!

KEEPING AN EYE

Both of the bears tonight were males. This guy is younger. Not sure but maybe 3 to 4 years? We do not know each other. So he was keeping a eye on me. When I meet bears like this I try not to move. Movement can spook them.

BEARLY POSING

I haven’t been able to get close enough to tell if this bear is a boy or girl? I suspect a female as the fur around the head is large and rounded. She was suspicious of me as I had to beach the boat and walk on land to get closer. Whenever she bent down to get a mouthful of grass,I’d move silently towards her. When she looked up I froze.  Bears get nervous If they see movement. She’ll get use to me after a few months.

DROOLY

This bear found a branch full of barnacles and mussels! I think he needs a bib.

A FURRY FRIEND

I came across 4 bears tonight but only got shots of two. Bears never seem to do what I want them to do……it’s unbearable!

This bear knows me from last year. It hardly looked at me and was more concerned with eating a crab dinner!

OUTSTANDING IN ONES FIELD

BARNACLE BRUIN

Barnacles grow on downed trees that submerge at high tide.  They kind of grow like rock candy and the bears consider them a very tasty delicacy!

“DO I KNOW YOU”?

A BRUIN VISTA

A GROWN UP PIGLET!

I’m pretty sure this is a 3 year old Piglet all grown up.  Not only does she have the identical chest mark but she also recognized me! She didn’t run away and allowed me to get within 15 feet. I always talked to her. I think the voice helped her remember.

She is doing really well and It was so good to see my little friend all grown up! One thing I did notice is that she had been swiped by another bear in a fight. Bears always swipe at the eyes. She has a small scar under her right eye.

MAX BEING CHEEKY

MAX SEARCHING FOR DINNER

“MY, WHAT BIG CLAWS YOU HAVE”!

ONE HANDSOME FELLOW!

BEARBOW

Normally I wouldn’t take a shot like this but I really like the name!

NATIONAL WILDLIFE DAY

Today is National Wildlife day! So in that spirit I am posting a shot of “Mini” with her take out snack!

The salmon are beginning to arrive to their natal streams and the bears are lining up to buy tickets to the dance!

STAND UP AND BE COUNTED

I took some friends out on a boat tour today. We had to leave much earlier than normal. I like to leave three hours before sunset as a standard rule,the light is far warmer near sunset.

This is Peggy and Piglet foraging along the shore. Piglet got spooked and ran away at one point. Which in turn made Peggy nervous! She stood up to look around for the danger!

After being satisfied that there was no danger,they both settled down.

PIGLET BEING CURIOUS

PIGLET III

Peggy has a new cub this year,so I’m calling it Piglet III. Its her third cub. I do not know the sex but suspect another female? She was being shy. She was using Peggy’s body as a shield. She eventually came out from behind mum and than she promptly walked into the forest without saying so much as a polite goodbye. Such a short debut!

Such a little darling!

PEGGY

I was so happy to find my friend Peggy! I haven’t seen her in what seems oh so long! She had a new cub this year as well! Of course it was shy,but Peggy just kept eating away merrily!

HAVING A SNACK

BEARLY MUNCHING

RUBBING ONES BELLY

He rubbed his tummy on the log.

MY FIRST BOO BOO OF THE YEAR

I went looking for bears tonight,first time this year. I went up the eastern shore of Fortune Channel for several miles not seeing any. I made my return run and just as I was about to leave Fortune I did spot one but it was in the shade. Wouldn’t you know it! You know how I hate black bears in shade!

Having said that……10% of something is better than 100% of nothing! It looks like a matured female.

MY FURRY GIRLFRIEND “TEDDY”

I love the eyes on this bear! She has such innocent eyes! She recognizes me! I do think she likes me.

I usually stand in the river with my canoes bow line tied around my waist.Being in the middle of the stream not only puts me off of the bears patrolling routes but also frees up my hands for the camera.

I saw Teddy walking towards me from upstream.She walked to just opposite me & simply waited there all the while staring at me with such a sweet face.I do believe she wants to get closer. For instance, she pretended she saw something in the rear of my canoe. As if she saw a salmon there!

So she waded out into the water to go check.I couldn’t allow her to do that & so told her to stop & she did exactly that.

When I got into my canoe to head back downstream the current was fast.She began to follow me,I did see her face change when she realized she couldn’t keep up. She stopped,turned around & went back upstream.

I bet If I threw her my hat she’d walk away with it! I’ve never had a bear girlfriend before.

She’ll be going to bed soon & I look forward to seeing her again!

 

THE CROSSING

I SEE ONE!

A bear spied a eagle but what the bear doesn’t know is that the eagle spied a salmon!

BEAR MANIA!

I was very surprised to see so many bears all out wandering along the rivers edge looking for salmon! I think they know the run is coming to a end & are trying to get the last snack in before beddy bye!

HELLO!

DON’T DRINK THE WATER

One thing I learned a long time ago is never to drink the water during spawning season!

WHY?………The water has Tape worm larvae in it.Bears drink the fresh water & get tape worms.You can see one hanging out of its butt.

WASH DAY

With the rain we got all week, Tranquil creek turned into Tranquil river! This bear swam across to the other side.I had been walking upstream with my canoe in this very spot last week. Not a chance today!

“YOU YELLED AT ME”!

I tied my boat up along a downed tree downstream.I was walking back to my boat when this bear came out of the forest in front of me & began walking downstream as well. It spied my boat & was curious. When it walked along the down tree to inspect my boat I yelled at her! Last thing I need are her claws puncturing the air tubes! She looked wide eyed at me for a second,turned & ran into the forest.

I got into my boat & began to drift downstream.She came back out looking rather perplexed…….”What did I do”?

A SHY BRUIN

DIN DIN

TRANQUIL REFLECTIONS

“HELLO……..HOW ARE YOU”?

During spawning season there are many bears wandering around.I’m mindful of that fact.My head is constantly swivelling around like a radar dish ever watchful.

Having said that If a bear walks by me I do become focused on its activities. I was taking shots of one bear walking past & after it left I looked around behind me & found this pretty 3 year old female just staring at me with such a beautiful look! I swear she knew me & seemed almost glad to find me! She was not more than 15 feet behind me.She just stood there waiting for me to notice her waiting patiently. I walked down stream away from her & she walked downstream following me.I moved 4 times & she did as well.

Her patience was rewarded by finding a salmon in a set of washboard rapids! She walked off with her treat & before she disappeared into the forest I yelled out “bon appetite”.